If you’re in a delicatessen or at a salad bar, it may be reassuring to see the food handlers wearing gloves. Reassuring, unless you’re allergic to latex, as many people are.

The September-October 2000 issue of Allergy and Asthma Proceedings warns that lettuce and cheese that have been held by food handlers wearing latex gloves can contain enough latex residue to set off an allergic reaction.

So, if you’re eating out and have allergies, you’ll want to ask about sulfites and peanut oil, and then make sure the food handlers are wearing vinyl gloves .